Article Directory :: Legal Articles

Juvenile Crimes in California

By Autumn Lockwood

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 08Sep2011 Word count: 1931 Viewed: 158 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Juvenile offenders in the state of California can face severe, life-changing penalties if convicted of a crime, which makes it important that you contact a criminal lawyer if your child has been arrested or if you suspect that an arrest is pending. Protecting your child's future means acting quickly to fight the charges against him! An aggressive and experienced juvenile defense attorney with a familiarity and understanding of juvenile justice is an asset for any juvenile criminal case.

Parents of juvenile criminal defendants are typically frightened for their child and have many questions that must be answered. It is possible that you do not know how to proceed to best help the child. Consulting with a competent criminal lawyer is important because your lawyer will be able to best evaluate your child's case based on his experience and knowledge. Your lawyer will work to protect your child's rights and minimize the effect of the criminal charge that your child is facing.

Juvenile Offender Defined

Under California statutes, a juvenile offender is someone who has not yet reached the age of majority, which simply means that they are younger than eighteen years of age when they commit a crime. Juveniles are expected to understand that particular acts like assault, robbery, theft, and murder are illegal, and the juvenile is also subjected to age-specific laws, like curfew laws and truancy laws.

If You Are a Juvenile Offender

If you are a juvenile that has been accused of committing a crime in California, or if you have been confronted by law enforcement officers, you should:

• Remain calm.

• Invoke your civil rights. Just because you are a juvenile doesn't mean that you don't have rights, too. Your rights are protected by law.

• If you have not been arrested yet, do not submit to a search of your person, car, or home.

• If you are being arrested, do not resist officers.

• Decline answering any questions by investigators or prosecutors unless your criminal lawyer is present.

• Do not volunteer any information to the investigators or police.

• Do not discuss the particulars of your case with anyone but your criminal lawyer. What you say to people right now can come back to haunt you. This includes friends and family members.

Charged as a Juvenile in California

In California, the juvenile criminal process and system is separate from the adult criminal process. Juvenile offenders are classified in different and distinct categories, including juveniles that have been remanded to Superior Court. These offenders are accused of committing offenses that would be criminal if they were of the age of majority, such as shoplifting, assault, and theft. Serious crimes like murder, rape, and arson, can be transferred into the adult system and the juvenile can be tried as an adult. The other category of juvenile offender is the status offender. These juveniles have committed crimes that are only illegal due to their status as a minor, like being truant from school.

In sum, it is important that the juvenile offender contacts a criminal lawyer as soon as possible following their arrest. The juvenile's future success in life may very well depend on the action that is taken right now.

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here

More articles by Autumn Lockwood

Free Report!
Ten Essential Secrets Of Article Marketing ... Grab Your Free
Copy Now:

Need Content?
Regular Top Quality Content for your Blog, Ezine or Website ...
Delivered Direct,
For Free!
Click For Details